NIST only participates in the February and August reviews.
This research will focus on developing advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biomagnetic sensing techniques. Research topics include 1) characterizing novel nanomagnetic contrast agents on both the macroscopic scale using NIST NMR/MRI systems and on the nanoscale using scanned probe imaging systems, 2) combining low-field MRI with neural sensing using low field atomic magnetometers, and 3) developing benchtop microMRI systems with novel point-of-use hyperpolarization. The contrast agent work will involve cleanroom fabrication of functional nano-agents based on spintronics concepts and characterizing them in the NIST variable field microMRI. The low field imaging/sensing work involves setting up atomic magnetometer neural sensing systems with associated AI analysis and then working to integrate with a low field MRI system for spinal imaging. The hyperpolarized microMRI work will focus on developing benchtop imaging systems for biopsies and organoid growth. The primary focus will be on optimizing the integrated hyperpolarizer, gradient system, FPGA based imaging console, and bioreactor functionality.
1. Berweger S, Tyrell-Ead R, Chang H, Wu M, Zhu N, Tang HX, Nembach H, Karl Stupic T, Russek S, Mitch Wallis T, Kabos P. Imaging of magnetic excitations in nanostructures with near-field microwave microscopy. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. 2022;546:168870. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmmm.2021.168870.
2. Oberdick SD, Russek SE, Poorman ME, Zabow G. Observation of iron oxide nanoparticle synthesis in magnetogels using magnetic resonance imaging. Soft Matter. 2020;16(45):10244-51. doi: 10.1039/D0SM01566K.
3. Yin X, Russek SE, Zabow G, Sun F, Mohapatra J, Keenan KE, Boss MA, Zeng H, Liu JP, Viert A, Liou S-H, Moreland J. Large T1 contrast enhancement using superparamagnetic nanoparticles in ultra-low field MRI. Scientific reports. 2018;8(1):11863. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-30264-5.
Biomagnetism; Electron spin resonance; ESR; Magnetic resonance imaging; Molecular nanomagnets; MRI; Nanomagnetism; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; neural sensing; Atomic magnetometers